Intratumoral delivery of M-CSF by calcium crosslinked polymer micelles enhances cancer immunotherapy

Biomater Sci. 2019 Jun 25;7(7):2769-2776. doi: 10.1039/c9bm00226j.

Abstract

Immunotherapy has shown promising results in multiple malignancies. However, there are still significant challenges in cancer immunotherapy including the powerful immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and adverse off-target side effects. Nanomaterials with defined physico-biochemical properties are versatile drug delivery platforms that may address these key technical challenges faced by cancer immunotherapy. Here, a tumor acidity-responsive biomacromolecule delivery system was designed to intratumorally deliver an immune-activating cytokine, macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) and attenuate the acidic microenvironment. This nanoparticle was prepared by introducing CaCO3 as a crosslinker to form an M-CSF-loaded stable micelle (NP/M-CSF/CaCO3). Administration of NP/M-CSF/CaCO3 significantly inhibited tumor growth by enhancing T cell-mediated anti-tumor immune responses and reversing the TAM-mediated immunosuppression. This study provides new avenues for cascade amplification of the antitumor effects by targeting the tumor microenvironment. This approach may also help avoid unwanted complications.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Calcium Carbonate / chemistry*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Drug Carriers / chemistry
  • Drug Liberation
  • Female
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Immunotherapy / methods*
  • Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / chemistry*
  • Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / immunology
  • Melanoma, Experimental / immunology*
  • Melanoma, Experimental / pathology
  • Melanoma, Experimental / therapy*
  • Mice
  • Micelles*
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry
  • Polyglutamic Acid / chemistry*
  • Tumor Microenvironment / immunology

Substances

  • Drug Carriers
  • Micelles
  • Polyglutamic Acid
  • Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor
  • Calcium Carbonate